Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-09-27
rHE pENsloN OFFICE.
How It's 0nacers Dispose of the Millions
of Communications Addressed to IL.

that the bureau had on its roll at thai
ti.ae sos, 7s3 pensioners costing the Gov
eminent for the year over sixty-three
million dollars. General Black also
stated that during the year closed. the
names of 1887 new pensioners had
been placed on the list, that 2,229 had
been restored, and that 22.0s9 had been
dropped. This enumeration. so easy
to state, stands for an amount of work
quite uncomfortable to one unacquainted
with the workings of the Pension Office.
At the time this report was sub.
mitted, the law allowed the office to give
pensions to all soldiers wounded in the
military service of the United States,
or who had incurred disability from
their service, to the widows, minor
children and dependent relatives OF
soldiers. to all invalid sailors. and their
widows, minors and dependent rela-
tives. to survivors of the war of 1912
who could prove sixty days service.
aud to widows of soldiers in that war.
II will be seen that the business OF
the Pension Office in dealing with APP
plicants for pensions. becomes two-fold;
TO grant pensions to those the law
points out as deserving, and to with
hold them from claimants which it does
not recognize To do this the Office
must have on its records satisfactory
evidence in the case of an invalid, that
y man by such name and from such a
place actually had the service claimed,
that the cisimant is this man. and that
his injury or disability is undoubtedly
The result of his service; in the case OF
widows, etc" tas the Pension Office
officials tersely classify widows, minors
and dependent relatives). that the
service OF the soldier or sailor is as
claimed, that the claimants identity is
established. and that there is no doubt
about the dependence. To show briefly
some of the striking features developed
in gathering and handling this testi-
mony and in forming conclusions, is
the business of this article.
Under the law the number of persons
'sho may receive pensions is, of course,
vpfv large, while the number who may
pretend to have just claims is almost
ines,imahle The Pension Of;ce bo.
all kinds of people on its hands. both
honest and dishonest. the old soldier
poor and disabled. who has spent years
without filing his application and only
doing 50 now becapse his ;p;u.ias airs
driying him to rho noor-bonsa. Dis.
hesrtened widows frightened Of the
money and time if takes IN ESTABLISH
,beir claims and nery,,s n ma onas
tions. unreasonable woma, who Lno,,
their husbands wero in tho a,n,,, .pe
INDIGNANT that tbe ,oioa doos NJ ~,
,beirworl fo,. If, weIl-to-do and health,
men determined RI get still = I;t,Ia NOR,
10 add 10 their incomes. and out-and
ont frauds keen tricky and nraparef
NJ everv noint
Anrl;cst;o,s ona tos,;,o,,. 800. !,
N ,lr.t;na ana ,ho, 49, :. a ,h"s. "
Last wear the number Of pieces Of moi
received in the Office WIS over tw, NH
linn the nail some d,rs r,,r;nr .,
| h;gh ne elnve, thousapa sooar,,
n;eoos E,ch commentaries, rata.,.n,
more M ;ess d;rec,I, 70 nav $3.50
nand;,a aasa Ia -, 80
tbe st,tns ~ o,e alroadr astahi;sh -
or course his onorroous oo,.aaranJ
go ,,,,s, ,o h.,,1,,,a IN, ~ .'
oaro ana ,a.,, ,,a,fo,,, - = '' '
nlo,ad Paob az an,,,;aa,;oa e. -,
nonsiop and e.oh an,,liaat;an fan :,
;noroosa 90 ,,ons;,,,, ~ So, q, ~
;pn d;yis;nn =, ~ i 1lna',. "e ii', ~
roco,d d;,.;s;on ,,,ho.a j. !, - =
and Il . now csa o;ror - -. !, =
which il is "a he hereafter tpow,, on =
travels tbronoh the denartmapts Of ~,
Office. An future corresnondance 70
ratino To This annl;cation il a, ono
iaeketed with the original on,,l;oo,;o,
and testimony tho object beinr to t,ao,
evorv thing concern;ng each o.sa -
gether.
Tho aa,. raa,;,.o1 hos,,o a., 80.
c,n no reco,,daJ and 49, ,ha IT. -
l. g.. a. ;,,,,,I;1 -, a.. s..u i'lV
aud addross - tha sa,a;as. ,,';4h ~
comnanv. regiment and Stata frnn
which he enlisted also anv otbo,. so,.,,io
he may have had If , widow,s ola;n,
the above fact, ara reouired and ais,
data regardiug the nansiop ,f an, ~
So'''.' "'e"' ihis oaia Is solletline
claims wing Tor months before they cal
DC recorded IN spite OF TINS fact tn